More than 13,000 visitors got inspired for spring at the Mid-Atlantic Home & Flower Show, held at the Virginia Beach Convention Center Feb. 5-7, and produced by Tidewater Builders Association and the Virginia Horticultural Foundation.

Sponsored by Belgard Hardscapes, the show featured lavish display gardens , a “Canstruction” competition; a green zone, a competition for Tidewater’s Top Pet hosted by the Virginia Beach SPCA, as well HGTV expert Pat Simpson, antiques expert Dr. Lori, topiary expert Pearl Fryar, gardening guru Don Engebretson and a plethora of horticultural and gardening authorities.

The following is the list of winners from the Mid-Atlantic Home & Flower Show:

EDUCATIONAL BOOTHS
First place: Buy Fresh Buy Local
Second place: Tidewater Beekeepers
Third place: Virginia Native Plant Society

ARTIST ALLEY
First place: “Kid’s Garden” by Linda House
Second place: “Yellow Daffodils” by Kay Hofler
Third place: “True Blue” by Jane Brumley
Director’s Choice: “Tropical Tryptic” by Pat DeHart

LANDSCAPE DISPLAYERS AWARDS FOR EXCELLENCE

People’s Choice”
“Wine-d Down” by K&D Rounds Landscape Services

Best In Show:
First Place, gold: “Alfresco Brilliance” by Winesett Nursery
Second place, gold: “Working Man Blues” by Terra Firma LLC
Third place, silver: “Wine-d Down” by K&D Rounds Landscape Services

Bronze winners:
“Gardener’s Palette” by Coastal Landscapes
“Tuscan Retreat” by Jack Frost Landscape and Garden Center
“Let the Sunshine In” by Becker Enterprises

American Horticultural Society Environmental Award
“Working Man Blues” by Terra Firma LLC

Virginia Society of Landscape Designers Award for Best Landscape Design
“Alfresco Brilliance” by Winesett Nursery

VIRGINIA BEACH SPCA TOP PET COMPETITION
Hampton Roads’ furry friends even strutted their stuff at the event. As part of a contest to name the region’s top pet, finalists in the Virginia Beach SPCA’s Top Pet contest took to the stage. Finalists were chosen through an online contest in which voters made a tax-deductible donation to the Virginia Beach SPCA.

Dash the Dog, whose owner Elizabeth Linville of Virginia Beach adopted him from the SPCA after being rescued from a puppy mill, raised more than $1,300 and was named Tidewater’s Top Pet.

The top 10 finalists competed at the show for the People’s Choice Award, which went to Jake the Dog, whose owner Andi Zarge of Virginia Beach adopted him from the SPCA where he now moonlights as a therapy dog.

Additional contest winners included Charlie Cole of Virginia Beach. He took home an indoor Invisible Fence unit donated by Invisible Fence of Hampton Roads. Linda Williams, of Virginia Beach, won a playhouse donated of Leonard Building and Truck Accessories.

CANSTRUCTION COMPETITION
Practice proved to make perfect for Western Branch High School students in the Canstruction competition at the show. Their “Deere John” tractor entry took home top honors and $500 for their school’s drafting program, courtesy of the Tidewater Builders Association Scholarship Foundation’s Young Designers Scholarship competition.

Students from Tallwood and Ocean Lakes High Schools in Virginia Beach also competed, building a model of Monticello and a giant shoe. Students created their sculptures from 12,000 canned goods, donated by Food Lion. The cans were donated to the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia at the show’s conclusion.
The local participating technology and design classes included: Virginia Beach’s Tallwood High School under the direction of Chuck Dyer; Virginia Beach’s Ocean Lakes High School under the direction of Cecilia Hess; and Chesapeake’s Western Branch High School under the direction of Kathy Willis.

Mark your calendars now for TBA’s first spring Homearama, which will be held in Isle of Wight’s Founders Pointe community from May 8-23, 2010. For more information, please visit www.tbaonline.org.